Eagles' Dennis Dixon on starting quarterback: 'May the best man win'

Eagles head coach Chip Kelly was dead serious about open competition for the starting quarterback job.

With Dennis Dixon in the fold, it's now a three-man field with veteran Michael Vick and sophomore Nick Foles the other competitors.

Dixon flourished in Kelly's system at Oregon. With the NFL Combine cranking up next week, don't be surprised to hear trade rumors involving Vick or Foles, as the Eagles would be foolish if they didn't find out what market there would be for each.

"From my understanding, the job is open," Dixon said on a conference call Monday after signing a two-year contract. "So it will be very competitive around here. It's pretty much open. So may the best man win."

Dixon, 28, actually has won more games than Foles, the starter down the homestretch in a 4-12 Eagles season that got Andy Reid fired. Reid is with the Kansas City Chiefs ... who need a quarterback.

The Eagles need a few good disciples of Kelly to hit the ground running this year. Dixon said Kelly's style is to practice and play fast.

It should be interesting to see how playing Kelly-fast goes over with Eagles veterans transitioning from the Reid era.

"I think they will welcome it with open arms," Dixon said. "When something new is presented to the table you're very curious. I think as far as the Philadelphia Eagles, if everybody buys into what Chip Kelly is selling, the sky is the limit."

Dixon has been around good organizations.

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected him in the fifth round of the 2008 draft, a drop due to his comeback from a torn ACL in his left knee.

In 2009, a healthy Dixon was beaten by the Baltimore Ravens in his first start, getting the nod when Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch were injured the previous week. Dixon didn't throw a touchdown pass and his interception set up the winning points in overtime.

In 2010 Dixon started in the opener for the Steelers, who were without Roethlisberger the first four games due to suspension, as well as an injured Byron Leftwich. Dixon beat the Atlanta Falcons but tore a meniscus in his left knee.

Dixon was out of football in 2011 and joined the practice squad of the Ravens this past season.

Dixon doesn't believe he will benefit from his knowledge of the Kelly system basically because while he expects the Eagles to play fast, it won't be the way they did in Eugene.

"I expect something totally different from Chip Kelly of the past five years," Dixon said. "That was Oregon. Moving forward we might see something totally different."

Dixon isn't the first Eagle to note what almost certainly will be a departure by Kelly from the Oregon offense. Other veterans looking at the personnel and the coaching staff with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, a West Coast-style guy, see a collaborative type of offense.

What Dixon (6-3, 200) sees as the constant is Kelly's penchant for spreading out the defense with formations and running the football. A mobile quarterback such as Dixon or Vick opens up even more of the field.

"Chip Kelly made it known that he wants to throw the ball and mix up the run and the pass," Dixon said. "And I wouldn't expect anything to change."

He can tailor his offense to whoever is presented at that given time. "When 11 guys are on the same page, it's great to see. ... It's a very fast pace on both sides. He makes both sides very, very, very competitive when practice comes so when the games come it becomes easy."